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0. E. sEEPEEEE. VALVE MECHANISM FOR SEWERAGE SYSTEMS: No. 384,397. Patented June 12, 1888.

WITNESSES: IVENTOR: %M

WM BY MM? ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Pmwumn m im. Washington. D.C.

UNITED STATES PATENT tier-ice.

CHARLES H. SHEPHERD, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR SEWERAGE SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,397, dated June 1,2 1888,

Application filed October 21, 1887. Serial No. 252,977.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that 1, CHARLES H. SHEPHERD, of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented new and Improved Valve Mechanism for Sewerage Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken on line :0 a: in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aside elevation at right angles to the view in Fig. 1, partly in section, on line 513 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a. side elevation, partly in section, taken on linez zin Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the curved ratchet-bar, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the ratchet-bar case.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in all the views.

The object of my present invention is to inr prove the sewerage system for which Letters Patent No. 361,456 were granted to me A prii My invention is designed to provide mechanism by which the discharge-valve of the sewage-pipe may be opened or closed, and by which the valve may be held securely in a partly-open position in case anything should become lodged between the valve and its seat.

My invention consists in the combination, with a discharge-pipe of a sewerage system provided with a float-chamber, of a counterweighted valve adapted to close the end ofthe dischargepipe, novel mechanism for locking and releasing the valve, and a ratchet device, whereby the valve may be locked when partly opened, all as hereinafter more fully de scribed.

The dischargepipe A, to which my improvement is applied, is bent ata rightangle and provided with a short downwardly-projecting part, B. The horizontal part (l of the pipe is provided with a floatchamber, D, which extends above the level of the dischargc'pipe and contains a float, E, mounted on an arm, a,

attached to a rockshaft, I), journaled at one end in the support 0, and extending through the side of the wall of the float-chamber.

In ears d, projecting from the side of the lower end of the pipe A, is journaled the rockshaft e, to which is secured an arm, f, project- (No model.)

ing from the valve F. The valve F is fitted to its seatg in the lower end of the pipe A. To the forward end of the rockshafte is at tached an arm, 7L, carrying a counter-weight, i, and a curved casing, j. To the curved casingj is fitted a curved ratchet-bar, Z, which is pressed outward by spiral springs in, the outward movement of the ratchet-bar being limited by fillets n in the ends of the casing Upon arms 0, projecting from the cars d, is supported a casing, G, in which is pivoted a latch, 2, on the stud q. The latch 12 projects through a slot in the casing G and engages the curved ratchet-bar Z. The latch p is provided with a triangular projection, 9', upon one side thereof, which is engaged by the triangular end .9 of the spring 6, secured to the upper side of the casing G.

In the casing G is pivoted a trigger, it, which is adapted to catch the shorter arm of the latch p and hold it in horizontal position. The longer arm of the trigger it extends upward beyond its pivot in position to be engaged by a cam, e, on the shaft 20, which extends through the sides of the casing G. The trigger it is pushed forward into engagement with the end of the latch p by a fiat spring, a.

Upon the shalt w is secured a lever, b, one end of which is connected by a link, 0, with a lever, d", the opposite end of the lever being provided with a curved bar, 6, for engagement with the end of the latch p, which projects through the end of the casing G. The lever d is pivoted at one end to a boss projecting from the side of the pipe A, and is connected at its free end by a rod,f, with a crank-arm, 9, upon the end of the rock-shalt I). To the end of the shaft c under the lever d is attached an arm, 7;, which is capable of touching the lever d when the valve F opens, and of re storing the lever d to its normal position. A short finger, 27, projects from the upper side of the arm h, and a flat spring, j, is secured to the side of the pipe A in the path of the fin ger z".

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows: XVhen the discharge into the sewage-pipe A fills itso as to lift the float E in the chamber D, the lever d is pressed downward, turning the shaft 20, through the connections between the levers d and 2), until the trigger a is released from the latch p, when the weight of the contents of the sewagepipe resting on the valve F pushes down the valve Fin opposition to the pressure of the weight i,when the valve immediately opens, allowing the contents of the pipe to discharge; and in opening, the arm It strikes the lever d and returns the latch 10 and the trigger a to their normal positions,and when the linger i, projecting from the arm h, strikes the spring the arm rebounds and quickly closes the valve, at the same time bringing the curved ratchet-bar Z into engagement with the latch 2.

In case of an obstruction between the valve and its seat the latch 19 engages the ratchetbar Z, so as to hold the valvein the position in which it stops. By the engagement of the triangular end 8 of the spring t with the triangular projection 1- the latch 12 is made to remain in one of two positionseither in position to engage the ratchet-bar Z or in an elevated position where it is incapable of engaging the said ratchet-bar.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In valve mechanism forsewerage systems, the combination of the valve F, hinged to the lower end of the discharge-pipe A, the arm 71 connected with the valve F and carrying the spring-actuated ratchet-bar Z and the counterweight i, the latch 10, adapted to engage the ratchetbar Z, the spring-actuated trigger a, arranged to engage the latch p, the cam o, the lever b, the lever d, and the float E,substautially as described.

2. The combination,with theleverb,adapted to be operated by the float E, and the latch 19, adapted to engage the ratchet Z, of the bar 6, connected with the end of the lever b for replacing the latch 19 after the valveF has been operated, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the lever d, float E, lever b, the bar 6, and latch 11, of the arm 70', the shaft and the valve F, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the valve F and arm h, connected therewith, of the springj, substantially as specified. 1

5. The combination, with the valve F, carrying the arm h, of the spring-actuated ratchetbar Z and the spring-actuated latch p, for holding the valve closed or partly open, substantially as specified.

CHARLES H. SHEPHERD. Witnesses:

GEO. M. HOPKINs, O. SEDGWICK. 

